Cristiano Ronaldo’s 95th-minute winner almost ripped the roof off Old Trafford, at the end of Manchester United's dramatic 2-1 victory over Villarreal in the Champions League. Several ex-Reds, including Cristiano’s former team-mate Rio Ferdinand, could not hide their delight.
Cristiano took off his shirt and then threw it into the crowd to the sheer joy of his fans. In the process, the Manchester United striker ended up copping a yellow card for the action at the end of the game.
Check out the legendary defender's video below...
Yessssssssss
My Guy @Cristiano2-1 @ManUtd pic.twitter.com/PGwgQEwtrx
— Rio Ferdinand (@rioferdy5) September 29, 2021
Danny Higginbotham and Danny Webber both paid tribute to our no.7's ability and timing. Former defender Higginbotham, now a respected television pundit, Tweeted: “36 years of age. Full 90 minutes and an injury time winner. Ronaldo is absolutely unique!!!”
Meanwhile Webber, at the ground working for MUTV, simply posted: “Divine timing!!!! Viva Ronaldo.”
Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said Ronaldo had shown his mental strength again by grabbing a stoppage-time winner in their 2-1 victory over Villarreal in the Champions League. Ronaldo had little impact on the game until he struck in the fifth minute of stoppage time to give United a barely deserved victory against the Spaniards.
“That is what he has done throughout his career – he is so strong mentally, he just stays in the game, I have seen him all day today, the way he built himself up for the game, focused,” said Solskjaer.
“He’s done that so many times, when you saw him (for Portugal) against Ireland a month ago, he missed a pen, didn`t touch the ball much and then scored two great headers in the last few minutes. When he gets that one chance it is a goal. It is the true mark of a very, very good finisher that he keeps calm when the chance arrives,” he added.
United – and Solskjaer – were under pressure after their opening Group F game ended in defeat against Young Boys in Bern and that setback was followed by an exit from the League Cup at the hands of West Ham United and a Premier League loss at home to Aston Villa.
